Chain



Oct. 3, 1967 E. L. VON HOFEN 3,344,905

CHAIN Filed Oct. 17, 1966 h etssheet l INVENTOR.

Edward l. la H0721? zl-g 2 W M Oct. 3, 1967 Filed Oct. 17, 1966 E. L. VON HOFEN CHAIN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. f lwarv A. Van We)? Oct. 3, 1967 E. L. VON HOFEN 3,344,905

CHAIN Filed Oct. 17, 1966 3 heets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. l a'wara L. m Hafen BY W34 United States Patent 3,344,905 CHAIN Edward L. von Hofen, 181 Vinewood, Avon Lake, Ohio 44012 Filed Oct. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 587,036 Claims. (Cl. 198-189) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A baJl-and-socket type conveyor chain, the links of which have upper table portions which support articles to be conveyed and which include a ball portion and a socket portion connected to the table portion. The ball portion of one link is retained in the socket portion of an adjacent link by a cap having outer surfaces that are drivingly engageable by a sprocket and also having other guide surfaces for centering the cap relative to the sprocket.

This invention relates in general to chains and, more particularly, to chains of the conveyor type.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved chain structure having a load supporting surface that is substantially uninterrupted throughout the load carrying extent of the chain irrespective of the fact that flexure of the chain may occur as it is trained around propelling or guiding sprocket wheels which may be disposed in a number of different planes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved chain of simplified but rugged construction which requires the use of but a few parts of simplified structure that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and which may be easily assembled or disassembled or cleaned by relatively unskilled persons and without requiring the use of special tools.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved chain wherein individual elements thereof simultaneously perform dual functions and wherein frictional effects are minimized.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away bottom plan view illustrating adjacent links of a chain embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partially broken away side elevation of the chain of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partially broken away top plan view of the chain of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of a link of the chain of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the link as viewed from left to right in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the cap member of the chain of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the cap member; and,

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the cap member.

As shown in the drawings, a chain embodying the present invention comprises a plurality of individual links 10 each having an upper or load supporting surface 11 that extends laterally outward in opposite directions from the longitudinal axis of the chain. The ends of surface 11 terminate in rounded portions 12 and cut-away portions 13, respectively. Depending from and adjacent one end of the lower surface of link 10 is a ball member 14 and a bracket 15 with a neck portion 16 therebetween. Thus, the outer wall surface of ball member 14 is a spherical surface, the center of which is contained in a plane that is perpendicular to surface 11 and also passes through the axis of the chain and, hence, link 10. The spherical outer surface of ball member 14 is partially interrupted by the neck portion 16 between ball member 14 and bracket 15.

Depending from and adjacent the opposite end of the lower surface of link 10 is a ball-seat or socket portion 17 having wall portions thereof shaped to define a semispherical ball-receiving recess or cavity 18. At its end that is directly opposite ball member 14, socket portion 17 is provided with an opening 19 having chamfered or beveled edges 20 for a purpose that will become apparent as the description proceeds.

A ball-retaining or cap member 21 having inner wall portions thereof shaped to define an internal semi-spherical ball-receiving recess 22 of substantially the same dimensions as cavity 18 is also provided with an opening 23 having chamfered or beveled edges 24 of dimensions to correspond with those of opening 19 and edges 20-. Member 21 is also provided with a pair of spaced apart lugs or brackets 25, each having an opening 26 for receiving a screw 27 for the purpose of detachably connecting member 21 to socket portion 17.

Integrally formed with and upstanding from the outer surface of cap member 21 are a pair of parallel spaced apart guides 28, the edges of which may be chamfered if desired as at 29. In accordance with the invention, cap member 21, in addition to its ball-retaining function, is also arranged to receive propelling and/ or guiding forces. Accordingly, that portion of the outer surface of cap member 21 that extends between lugs or brackets 25 and also between guides 28 is shaped to form a segmental cylindrical surface 30, 30a which is adapted to be engaged either in driven or in guided relationship by either a propelling or guiding sprocket wheel 31. Similarly, guid ing forces may be received by side edges 25a of lugs 25 and/or by side edges 25b of corresponding lug portions 250 of socket portion 17 or by the under surface 10a of link 10 from guide rails 32, 33. Thus, a chain embodying the present invention is capable of making turns in planes angularly disposed relative to the plane containing the web portions of propelling or guiding sprocket wheels 31 and is capable of operating over flight portions that are angularly disposed relative to one another.

As illustrated, link 10 is integrally formed with ball portion 14 and bracket portion 15 and socket portion 17 is similarly formed as by casting or molding, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not necessarily limited to such construction. For example, ball portion 14 and bracket 15 may be connected together by means of threaded fastening means and bracket 15 as well as socket portion 17 may be connected to support surface 11 by threaded fastening means similar to that employed to connect cap member 21 to socket portion 17, if desired, without departing from the invention.

While the invention is not necessarily limited to the use of any particular materials, the use of certain materials in the construction of chains embodying the invention presents certain advantages. For example, in connection with certain intended uses of chain in accordance with the invention it may be desirable to make the support surface 11 and ball member 14 of steel or perhaps of stainless steel, in which case the socket portion 17 and cap member 21 preferably will be made of a plastic material of a known type and which has a very low coefiicient of friction, such as nylon, Teflon, Delrin, etc. In connection with other intended uses, or for reasons of manufacturing economies, all elements of a chain in accordance with the invention may be made of such plastic materials with the exception of screws 27 or similar fastening means.

The chain is assembled by placing the ball portion 14 of a link 10 into the cavity 18 of socket portion 17 of an adjacent link and securing said ball portion within said socket portion by placing a cap portion 21 over said ball portion and securing the cap portion to the socket portion by insertion and tightening of screws 27. Such assembly procedure is continued until a suflicient number of links are thus connected together to form a chain of desired length. In the event that it may be desirable to replace an individual link 10, cap member 21 that is connected to said link is removed by removing its screws 27. The cap member that secures the ball portion 14 of the link to be replaced is also removed by removing its screws. The replacement link is then assembled into the chain by following the above-noted assembly procedure. Thus, it will be aparent that a chain embodying the present invention can be completely assembled or disassembled without special tools since an ordinary screwdriver will sufiice for either of such operations and further that such operations can be performed by unskilled rather than skilled workmen.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a conveyor chain,

a link having a surface for supporting an article to be conveyed, said link having a ball portion spaced from said surface and having a socket portion having walls defining a ball-receiving cavity space from said ball portion, and means including a ball-retaining member adapted to be connected to said socket portion, said member having a force-receiving outer surface adapted to be engaged by an impelling force-producing means.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said link includes a table portion having an article-supporting surface and said ball portion and said socket portion are connected to said table portion.

3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said table portion is integrally formed with said ball portion and said socket portion.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said ball-retaining member has a segmental cylindrical surface portion adapted to be engaged by sprocket means.

5. Structure according to claim 4 wherein said member includes guide means disposed adjacent said cylindrical surface portion.

6. A link portion for a conveyor chain having a table portion having an article-supporting surface,

a ball portion connected to said table portion,

a socket portion connected to said table portion and having walls defining a ball-receiving cavity spaced from said ball portion, and having means including securing means for remova bly retaining for limited pivotal movement within said cavity a ball portion of another link portion.

7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein said table portion is integrally formed with said ball portion and said socket portion.

8. For use with a link portion of a conveyor chain, a cap portion having inner walls defining a ball-retaining cavity portion and having other walls defining a planar surface portion and an outer force-receiving surface adapted to be engaged in driving relationship by an impelling force producing means, and securing means including a bore extending through said other walls for rernovably connecting said planar surface portion to a said link portion. 7

9. Structure according to claim 8 wherein said forcereceiving surface is a segmental cylindrical surface.

10. Structure according to claim 9 and additionally including a guide means comprising a second planar surface parallel to a plane normal to said cylindrical surface, which plane includes the center of said cavity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,642 6/1932 Paulson l98189 2,290,981 7/1942 Maguire 198-189 FOREIGN PATENTS 314,988 4/ 1918 Germany.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD A. SROKA, Examiner. 

1. IN A CONVEYOR CHAIN, A LINK HAVING A SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING AN ARTICLE TO BE CONVEYED, SAID LINK HAVING A BALL PORTION SPACED FROM SAID SURFACE AND HAVING A SOCKET PROTION HAVING WALLS DEFINING A BALL-RECEIVING CAVITY SPACE FROM SAID BALL PORTION, AND MEANS INCLUDING A BALL-RETAINING MEMBER ADAPTED TO 